Food systems, structure protein assemblies

Fabrication of protein nanotubes has the potential to lead food science and engineering to new heights. However further studies need to be conducted to fulfill the promise in many potential food applications. Interactions of nanotubes with the materials to be encapsulated— their structures, characteristics and controlled release properties—should be studied using the model or actual food systems. Another important area of future research is the investigation of the self-assembly characteristics of other food proteins that can be used for similar purposes. 

Literature reviews describing experimental and/or theoretical polymer-polymer assembly is abundant and diversified regarding the nature of the polymers and physicochemical conditions used and the supramolecular structures obtained [29-35]. In this review, we will focus on recent data on food protein assembly. After a description of the structure and main properties of some important food proteins, we wiU describe first the protein-induced assemblies that lead to regular supramolecular structures and, in a second part the spontaneous protein self-assembly potential with a special emphasis on systems containing more than one protein. 

Nantes was chosen as the location because of its INRA Research Centre, which is renowned for its basic and applied research on plant biopolymers, starch, proteins and cell wall polysaccharides. The main objectives of the Nantes Centre in Plant Science first of all concerns the biosynthesis of macromolecules and assemblies in planta, secondly their structural characteristics and related physico-chemical and functional properties, and thirdly with their behaviour in multiphasic systems in relation to end-uses in food and non-food applications. In addition, human nutrition is also considered. 

---